Jury failed to reach a verdict on Natalia death

Natalia Doherty

Published:10:20Wednesday 25 January 2017

The head of a Scottish family who was accused of keeping the murder of his sister-in-law secret for 12 years is likely to face a retrial.

A jury could not agree on a series of charges against Joseph Doherty relating to an alleged cover up over the death of Natalia Wilkanowska, whose body was found under builder’s rubble at a house in Luton.

Judge Michael Kay QC discharged the jury at Luton Crown Court yesterday. They had been considering their verdicts since Friday.

The 73-year-old from Old Greenock Road, Port Glasgow, denied one charge of perverting the course of justice, one of obstructing the coroner by giving a false account of her death and one charge of preventing her lawful burial.

Last week the judge directed the jury to clear his brother 67-year-old Daniel Doherty – who owned the house in Icknield Way, Luton, where the remains were found – of all five charges against him.